Framing arrangement



March 12, 1957 J. s, RHQADES 2,784,781

FRAMING ARRANGEMENT Filed June 23. 1953 mm R s N w J L ATTORNEY FRAMING ARRANGEMENT John S. Rhoades, Bethesda, Md., assigner to Kaiser Alominum & Chemical Corporation, Oakland, Calii., a corporation of Delaware Application June 23, 1953, Serial No. 353,537

6 Claims. (Cl. 160--371) This invention relates to a screen framing construction. More particularly, it is concerned with providing a novel arrangement for tensioning and effectively securing louvre type screen within a frame.

Various diculties have been experienced in the past in properly framing, particularly in a metal frame, louvre type screen such as that disclosed in the patent to Harold Warp, Patent 2,366,224, issued January 2, 1945, which do not exist in framing arrangements for ordinary woven wire screen commonly referred to in the trade as bug wire.

For example, where metal framing is employed in the conventional manner for louvre type screen with the spline channel being located on the inner periphery of the frame and the louvre type screen is inserted within the open spline receiving channel of the frame, no large bearing surface is provided adjacent the channel upon which the screen fabric may rest. As a result, when the spline is inserted in the spline receiving channel there is a tendency, because of the relative thinness of the supporting surface provided by what may be termed the free and outermost wall of the spline receiving channel, for this outermost wall to cut into and sometimes cause fracture of the thin connector or tension strips, which hold the parallel louvres or slats of the screen together. When this happens, a decrease in the tension exerted along the screen proper between the frame automatically follows with the net result that the screen will sag as it becomes only loosely aiiixed to the frame. ln addition, a deformation of the slats or louvres of the screen also usually occurs. This deformation or dellection of the louvres causes the screen to present a very poor appearance, as well as to be ineffective in both its shading effect and insect control.

A further reason why the standard metal frame usedV in the conventional manner, i. e. with the spline receiving channel of the frame being located on the inner periphery of the frame, is not satisfactory, is because unlike woven wire screen, louvred screen has greater rigidity and stiffness and thus oiters greater resistance to tensioning, particularly at the points where it is affixed to the top and bottom frame members'. As a result, where the frame is so used that the outermost free wall mentioned above of the spline receiving channel portion is located along the inner periphery of the frame, this wall is a point of weakness because it lacks the rigidity necessary to properly hold in tension a louvre type screen. The pulling action of the louvred screen in resisting tension at the point where it is locked in the spline receiving channel, particularly of the top and bottom frame members, tends to flex this relatively Weak free wall of the channel, so that slack will exist in the screen and it will not be properly stretched between the frame members.

Various arrangements have been proposed in the past for correcting these deficiencies, but they have not proven completely satisfactory for one or more reasons. One of the deficiencies of the screen and frame locking are tates Patent j Ll (l 2,784,78l Patented Mar. 12, ld?

rangements of the past is that they have dealt primarily with properly tensioning louvred screen along the bottom and top edges thereof, without at the same time providing effective tensioning and anchoring means for side marginal edges of the louvred screen and side frame members.

Furthermore, the arrangements for framing louvred creen devised in the past have involved the use of complicated locking elements and tensioning tools, which required a certain amount of skill in the usage of the same.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a novel `arrangement for mounting louvred screen within a frame, whereby the screen will not only be effectively tensioned within the top and bottom frame members, but in addition, will also be effectively tensioned within the side frame members.

Itis another object of this invention to provide a novel arrangement for tensioning louvred type screen within side and end frame members, which involves a minimum amount of locking members and tools for emplacing the locking members.

lt is another object'of this invention to provide a novel arrangement for mounting louvred screen within a frame whereby a rigid support and tensioning of the screen is supplied for a substantial distance adjacent and inwardly of the open spline receiving channel of the frame.

lt is another object of this invention to provide a novel arrangement for mounting louvred screen within a trame wherein an integrally formed screen locking spline and frame cover member is employed as an anchoring and tensioning member.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel arrangement for mounting louvred type screen within a metal frame wherein in addition to locking the marginal edge of the screen within the open channel of a frame member, tension is also induced on the screen inwardly of and adjacent the open channel portion of the frame member.

lt is a further object of this invention to provide a novel arrangement for mounting louvred type screen within a frame wherein the side marginal edges of the screen are introduced and secured to a frame member without bending the side edge portions of the screen substantially out of the normal plane of the main portion of the screen.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel arrangement for securing the marginal edges of a screen to frame members without distorting or bending the louvres or slats in the screen, and while maintaining effective tensioning of the screen within the several frame members.

These and other objects of the instant invention are accomplished by providing in a screen frame construction7 a frame member provided with a large bearing surface disposed adjacent the inner peripheral edge of the frame and an open spline receiving channel portion defined by opposing outer and inner walls disposed adjacent the outer peripheral edge ot` the frame. The marginal edge of a screen provided with rows of parallel slats joined together by connector or tension strips covers the bearing surface of the frame. An anchoring and tensioning member for securing the screen to the frame is also provided. This anchoring and tensioning member comprises a resilient bifurcated spline portion insertable within the open channel portion of the trame and springy flange portions which are formed integrally with and project at an angle to the spline portion. Thus, when the spline portion is inserted within the open channel portion of the frame, the flange portion will be deformed and serve to tension the marginal edge of the screen against the bearing surface of the frame.

Other objects and advantages of the instant invention will become more apparent from a review of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein:

Figure l is an elevational view of a portion of the front of a frame and screen as viewed from the outside of a building;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the screen and frame assembly of Figure l when taken along lines 2 2 thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along lines 3 3 of Figure l; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the combined spline and cover member used for securing the screen to the several section members making up the frame assembly.

ln the preferred embodiment of the invention, the screen framing arrangement proposed contemplates the use of a frame member l which is roughly rectangular in cross-section. The frame member 1 includes a large bearing surface 2, which is located on the inner periphery or marginal edge of the frame, i. e. the edge of the frame which is located closest to the main body of the louvred screen 3. This frame member 1 is advantageously used on all four sides of the screen, as bottom and top frame members 4 and as side frame members of elements 5. The various frame members 1 may be roll formed from a piece of metal in such a fashion that in addition to being provided with a bearing surface 2, it will also be provided with an open spline receiving channel portion 6 located along the outer peripheral edge or outer margin of the frame 1. The open channel portion 5 is dened by the relatively rigid inner Wall 6 adjacent the bearing surface 2, and an outer wall 7.

The louvred screen 3 that is used may be of the type disclosed in the forementioned patent to Harold Warp 2,366,224. Thus, screen 3 will have parallel louvres or slats 7, which extend generally along a horizontal plane with these slats in turn being joined together by vertically arranged connector or receiving members or strips 8.

By referring to Figure 4, it will be noted that the anchoring and tensioning member 9 for holding a marginal edge of the screen within the frame member 1 is somewhat L-shaped in cross-section. It includes the bifurcated spline portion 16 and oppositely disposed ange portions 11 and 11. Spline portion 10 includes the resilient springy and normally diverging jaws 12 andl 13. As indicated in Figure 4, Iiange portion 11 projects at a generally right angle with respect to the bifurcated spline portion 1t). Flange portions 11 and 11 as well as spline portion il@ are advantageously formed integrally with each other from a single piece of metal. The arcuate configuration of ange portion 11 allows this portion 11 to be deformed when member 9 is emplaced in proper relation with respect to the frame and is advantageously employed to produce tension on the screen at its point of contact with the bearing surface 2, as will be more clearly indicated hereinafter. 'The ange portions 11 and 11 also combine to serve as an outer cover member for frame 1 and give the framed louvred screen a clean and neat appearance.

For the purposes of joining the end and side frame members together at their mitered corners, an angular brace 14 may also be used.

Thus, as indicated in Figure 2, when the normally di vergingy jaws l2 and 13 of the spline portion 10 are inserted within the open channel portion 6 of either the top or bottom frame members 4 and jaw 12 is forced into frictional contact with the portion of the screen located in the channel, a locking of the screen in the channel will take place. As this occurs, flange portion 11 will be deformed and straightened. As a result of its inherent resistance to deformation, the flange portion 11 will exert tension on the screen covering the large bearing surface 2' as it tries to return to its normal position of rest, andv thus cause a secondary lock to take place between 4 Y the frame and screen. The small flange portion 11 is adapted to overlap the top of the outer wall 7 of the open spline receiving channel portion 6 located adjacent the outer marginal edge of the frame at the time the anchoring and tensioning member 9 is locked to the frame. By means of this flange portion or element 11', any serious outward rotational movement of the entire anchoring and tensioning member caused by the pull of the screen would be effectively prevented since finger portion 11 would quickly be forced into Contact with the top of wall 7 of the open channel portion 6.

in an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the various resilient and springy jaws 12 and 13 of the spline portion 1l? may be so formed that the jaw 13 will be proided with planar portion i7 which extends downwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, from the main top or flange portion 1l of the anchoring and tensioning member 9 and an arcuate hook-like portion 1S which is adapted to engage a step 19 in the wall 7 of the frame member. I aw 12 in turn, which projects away from the jaw 13 may be provided with a planar portion 2G and a curved portion 21 including an inwardly directed hook-like element 21. rhus, when expandable and resilient bifurcated spline portion lil is inserted within the open channel portion 6 and expands against the walls thereof, the curved portion 2l of the jaw 12 will engage, in the case of the side frame members 5, the shoulder portion 23 of the inner wall 6 of the open channel portion 6 of the frame at the same time the hoololike portion 18 of the jaw member 13 engages the step 19 in outer wall 7 to effectively lock spline portion 10 within the open channel 6 of the frame element 1. When the member 9 is used with top or bottom frame members 4, curved portion 21 of jaw 12 will force the screen against the shoulder portion Z3 of Wall e of open channel portion 6.

Because of the particular curved formation of the flange portion 11 of the combined tensioning and anchor member 9 when the spline member is inserted in thel open channel portion 6, the flange portion 11 will be deformed and serve to clamp the screen located on the large bearing surface 2 of the frame against the same and thus provide a secondary lock for holding the screen against the frame in the case of the upper and bottom frame members and as the primary and eflicient locking means in the case of the side frame members.

In the case of the side frame members 5, it is not conventional practice to draw the side marginal edges of the louvred screen into the open channel portion 6 of the fname. Consequently, the only locking action that takes place is that brought about by the deformable ange portion or element 11 as it forces the side marginal edge of the screen against a side frame member 5. In the instant invention, the screen will be effectively locked and tensioned against the large bearing surface 2 of -a side frame 5 by means of the flange portion 11 ol the tensioning and `anchoring means 9. It is also toy be noted that this ange portion 11 of the combined anchoring and tension member 9 is so bent initially that it will provide the requisite amount of tension for holding the screen against the several frame members when it is straightened during emplacement of member 9 without at the same time causing a permanent set in this ilange. The double thickness of this flange portion 11 is advantageous in this respect.

It will also be noted by referring to Figure 2, that the bifurcated spline portion 1b of the tensioning and anchoring member 9 when used with the top or bottom frames d, will be located transversely to the tension or connector strips 8 which serve to hold the slats together and parallel to the louvred screen slats. Thus, the tension or connector strips` themselves will be securely engaged by theV jaw 12 of the bifurcated spline portion 10 and the deformable flange and cover element 11, which is important intensioning and holding` the screen tightly within the. bottom and top frame members without deforming or severing lthe tension or Connector strips 8. This tensioning is effectively transmitted along the entire length of the strips 8 from the top of :the framed screen to the bottom thereof. The large bearing surface or area Z provided by the frame over which the screen is stretched adjacent the open channel portion 6, minimizes any tendency of the walls of the open channel pontion 6 to cut into the thin tension strips 8 of the louvred screen 3.

It will thus be seen that the use of a tensioning and` anchoring member 9 of the instant invention which is formed from a single piece of metal, overcomes the disadvantages previously inherent in framing the side edges of the screen. Only one element is employed for attaching the marginal edge of a screen to `a frame member. This element serves as a cover member in addition to eiciently locking marginal edges of a screen `to a frame and it is easy to install.

It thus will be apparent that a novel and efficient means have been provided for securely anchoring louvred type screen to a frame. In addition, the means of the instant invention is simple and compact in construction and can be made from a minimum amount of material. It also provides for simple and easy installation and thus lends itself to simple manufacturing methods.

It will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the instant invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined by the appended claims, wherein what is claimed is:

l. A framing construction for louvered screen comprised of parallel rows of slats joined by connector strips said screen being arranged within and secured along its marginal edges to the framing construction, said framing construction including a generally rectangular frame, said fratrie including an open channel defined by parallel inner and outer walls located on each side thereof, said channel being disposed more closely adjacent the outer marginal edges thereof, whereby said frame adjacent its innermost marginal edges includes a ilat bearing surface of substantial area, said inner Iand outer walls defining said channel and including longitudinally extending, oppositely facing pockets, spline means anchoring said louvered screen with respect to at least two edges of said generally rectangular frame, said spline means comprising generally arcuate ange members having divergent jawlike elements projecting therefrom on their concave faces, each of said projecting jaw-like elements including further a generally longitudinally extending offset portion adjacent their respective terminal edges, said offset por tions and said jaw-like elements being substantially coextensive in length, said `liange members and said jawlike elements being resiliently deformable whereby upon installation in said channels said arcuate ange will be deformed from arcuate to generally planar form and the diverging jaw-like elements will be compressed toward one another, said offset portions adjacent the terminal edges of said jawelike elements engaging and being resiliently biased into anchoring relation within said oppositely facing longitudinal pockets in the inner and outer walls defining said channel, the innermost edges of said deformed flange members extending over said flat bearing surface in resiliently biased engagement therewith whereby portions of said screen overlying said bearing surface will be securely locked by said spline means to prevent displacement of said screen from said frame construction.

2. A screen frame construction as defined in claim l wherein at least two edges of said louvered screen extends over the flat bearing surface of substantial area, the innermost of said channel defining walls and into the innermost of said longitudinally extending pockets, and is engaged by said compressed jaw-like elements, said flange members, said walls and said pockets whereby further anchoring of said louvered screen in said frame is provided in said channels in addition to that effected by said deformable spline means along said flat bearing sur-f faces.

3. A screen frame means for louvered screen having spaced rows of slats joined by connector strips, said frame means being comprised of a plurality of generally right angularly disposed, longitudinally extending frame members deiining a generally rectangular frame construction, each of said frame members comprising a longitudinally extending, box-shaped cross sectional coniigured element, one of the longer sides of said element being provided with a channel defined by inner and outer parallel walls, said channel being offset from the longitudinal center line of said longer face closer to one edge of said element than :to the other whereby a bearing surface of substantial area is formed between the channal and an edge of said frame member, each of said channel defining walls including a coextensive oppositely facing longitudinal pocket therein, spline means engag` ing each frame member for anchoring a louvered screen with respect thereto, said means comprising a generally planar ange, spaced jaw-like members projecting outwardly from one face thereof, said means being further comprised of a single piece of resilient material, said iiange being further generally arcuate in cross section from edge to edge and said jaw-like members being in divergent projecting relation with respect to each other and said iiange prior to engagement of said spline means with said frame member, said flange and said jaw-like members being deformed upon installation and engagement of said spline means with said frame member such that the normally divergent jaw-like members are disposed in generally parallel relation with respect to each other in said channel and said flange is deformed such that the edge to edge arcuate configuration is removed whereby louvered screen may be engaged in locked relation with respect to said frame member and said spline means at said `bearing surface of substantial area and within said channel.

4. A screen frame construction as delined in claim 3 wherein said divergent jaw-like members include offset portions adjacent their respective longitudinally extending terminal edges, said offset portions interlocking in firmly anchored relationship within said oppositely facing longitudinally extending, coextensive pockets in said inner and outer channel defining walls when said spline is engaged with said frame element.

5. A screen frame construction comprising the com bination of end and side frame members, each of said frame members having a large bearing surface disposed adjacent the inner peripheral edge of the frame member and an open channel ldisposed adjacent the outer pe ripheral edge of the frame member, a screen provided with rows of parallel slats jointed together by connector strips arranged within and secured along the outer marginal edges thereof to each of said frame members, the connector strips extending parallel to a side frame member, the marginal edge of the screen adjacent an end frame member also having portions thereof disposed within the open channel of said end frame member, and means anchoring the marginal edges of the screen to each of said frame members, said means including normally divergent resilient bifurcated jaw-like members projectable into the open channel in said frame members, said jaw-like members being compressed. toward one Ianother upon being projected into the open channel of said frame members, deformable flange elements lixed to and formed integrally with the jaw-like members, said liange elements being deformed from arcuate to generally planar cross-sectional configuration and disposed at a generally perpendicular angle with respect to said jaw-like memv bers, when the jaw-like members are projected into the open channel of the frame members, said deformed flange elements acting in conjunction with the large bearing surfaces on the frame members to firmly anchor the screen against said surfaces whereby said screen is held against displacement from said frame.

6. In a screen frame construction the combination of a frame provided with large bearing surfaces disposed adjacent the inner peripheral edges of the frame and an open channel disposed adjacent the outer peripheral edges of the frame, a screen provided with rows of parallel slats joined together with connector strips arranged t-ransversely thereto covering said bearing surfaces of said frame and a plurality of anchoring and tensioning members for securing said screen to said frame, said anchoring and tensioning members comprising resilient bifurcated portions insertable within the open channel in said frame and deformable ange portions formed integrally with and projecting from said bifurcated portions in a generally perpendicular relation with respect thereto, said ilange portions being deformed when said biurcated portions are inserted within the open channel such that the bifurcatedV portions exert opposing forces against the channel, said deformed flange portions bear- References Cited in the tile of this patent UNiTED STATES PATENTS 1,178,581 Green Apr. 11, 1916 1,201,338 Orr Oct. 17, 1916 1,233,310 Carlson July 17, 1917 2,621,72 Jessup Dec. 16, 1952 2,627,311 Kaufmann Feb. 3, 1953 

